Betrayal
by KirbyWrites
Summary: A rogue member of Meta Knight's crew is out to get him, stopping at nothing to rise above his station. With this member on the loose and lives on the line, is there anyone who can halt his race to the power elevator?
1. Chapter 1

**I still have a long way to go for part 2, thus why I'm only publishing this part. I'm sorry for not updating; I have 5 different fanfictions going on, this being one of them, and that combined with the mindset that they have to be finished before I do publish them makes publishing real slow. I'll try to change (hopefully soon) and publish more. For now, enjoy!**

* * *

"Sir? You haven't given us your commands yet," Trident Knight anxiously noted. He had been standing outside Meta Knight's room for just about ten minutes. It wasn't like their lord to leave matters hanging for so long, especially when it came to giving the crew their orders. And it was already 7 in the morning; Meta Knight was never asleep this late! He was often awake at 6 or earlier to fly around Dreamland or something of the sorts. Suddenly, the door opened and Trident straightened up. "I'm sorry, Trident," the knight yawned, wings fluttering without his cape. "I was up late last night retesting some aspects of the Halberd. Just have Vul do a routine check on the engine and-" Meta Knight's sentence was cut off by a bout of erratic coughing.

"Sir, you might want to get back in your room and have Sailor Dee take care of you or something," Trident suggested. "After all, I know you went to sleep as early as the rest of us!" The puffball in front of him stretched, then unexpectedly knocked the purple knight to the side. Once the obstacle was clear, he darted for the exit.

* * *

Meta Knight snapped his wings open and glided down the ramp of the Halberd with a slight cough. "Sir! Stop, you're ill!" Trident exclaimed worriedly from behind. After it was clear that he wouldn't stop, he encouraged Axe, Mace, and Javelin to chase after him. As he broke into the snowy evening, Meta Knight spotted a pile of snow he could hide in to escape his crew. He banked to the right and plunged into the snow pile, the snow on top covering the hole he made. Staying completely still, the knight listened intently as part of his crew ran past, yelling at each other. Once their footsteps completely faded away, he dug out of the snow and continued on. Meta Knight shivered at times, wings folded neatly against his back. How he yearned for the warm silk cape that he had left in his bedroom. But of course, he had to come out wearing all his armor and not his cape. The knight was often like that when he was forced to think fast. He turned towards the sea, where he knew of a cliff overlooking the Orange Ocean. He'd stay there for the time being.

* * *

Captain Vul lounged in his chair, a pipe extending from his beak. It really helped his schedule when their lord was up late to do some important work or slept in occasionally. He didn't have to do anything for a longer amount of time. Then his door opened with a slam, and he turned crossly in the direction. Axe and Mace were there, both panting wildly. "What's gotten into you, lads?" The vulture asked, getting up.

"It's Lord Meta Knight-" Axe started.

"He's run off, and with how there's supposed to be a blizzard today-" Mace added.

"We're worried about him. Trident and Javelin are still out there looking for him. We told them not to because it was too cold, but they wanted to keep trying."

"Let's send out some search parties then. If you can, find Sailor Dee and tell him to get out there and search as well. I'll stay here and guard the Halberd," Vul commanded. Axe and Mace left the room, and before long, the vulture heard some chatter between the two and the Dee under Meta Knight's command. Then silence filled the great battleship once more, and Vul sat back down in his chair, blowing smoke rings through the air.

* * *

Meta Knight finally made it to his destination after half an hour of trudging through the snow. Sitting down at the edge of the cliff, he closed his eyes. That chase had taken a lot out of him, and it left his sore throat even worse than it had been before. Snowflakes had begun to fall steadily from a steely, cloud-covered sky and he noticed this. The knight slowed his quickened breathing and lowered his subconscious into a deep state of thought. He brought his mind to the worries and fears at hand. _Meta Knight._ His sword had awakened in his thinking and began to speak. _You are troubled._

 _Since when was I never troubled? I have been this way for as long as I can remember._

 _You are afraid of being alone. You think that no one cares for you. That is not true._ In the midst of their psychic conversation, unbeknown to the knight, his body was shivering more and more as snow covered his body. His muscles slowly shut down as the cold numbed him. _That has always been and will always be true. Anyone who comes close to me will die, and I will shatter after the loss._

 _You don't let yourself make friends with anyone because of this. Loosen up a bit, would you, Meta?_

 _Loosen up? I have already built too many walls around myself, and the only person who can knock them down is Kirby. These walls are too hard for even I to break._

 _Think about it, Meta. Think about it. Wait, don't._

 _Don't think about it or do think about it? What are you trying to say, Galaxia?_

 _Oh, I don't know. You look tired._

 _I'll have you know that I slept as early as everyone else-_

 _And you woke up earlier than everyone else too. You're clearly tired. Why don't you go take a nap or something?_

 _I don't feel like it._ Then Meta Knight felt himself growing drowsy and he blinked tiredly. Then he realized what his sword was trying to do. Sometimes it was a bad idea to let a sentient being into your mind, especially when it had the powers to control movements.

 _Galaxia, a nap right now?! You can't be serious, I'm out in the open!_

 _Oh, come on, admit it. You know you want to sleep._

 _Not right here! Sleeping in the snow means certain… death…_ Despite all his struggling, Galaxia still found a way to prod the blue puffball closer towards sleep. Soon enough, the movements ceased and both puffball and sword went quiet.

* * *

Sailor Dee straightened his cap. He had been out searching just like the rest of the Halberd crew, the only difference being that he had actually been smart enough to carry supplies. A blanket, an instant tent, a first aid kit, a thermos of tea, a sleeping bag, and two of Javelin's sandwiches had been stuffed into the biggest backpack he owned, which was technically Axe's, but he had taken it a few months back. His lord's cape was draped around his tiny body, giving warmth to the Dee, and his lucky watch was strapped around his nubby hand. "Why would Meta Knight go out on a day like this without his cape?" he wondered, drawing the cape closer to himself. "I mean, I know he likes winter, but he's not so careless as to leave this behind!" Sailor Dee looked around. He was nearing Orange Ocean, the fateful spot where the Halberd had first fallen to Kirby. How the pink puffball managed to get past the ship's defenses and weapons still puzzled the Dee. But then again, Kirby could do anything. He shook the snow accumulating on his head and peered closer to the cliff. Despite the disaster that had happened, this was one of Meta Knight's favorite spots to think. There was a weird mound of snow near the very edge, and a creeping realization dawned upon him. Sailor Dee approached the mound but before he could get there, he tripped.

* * *

There was a crunch in the snow and Meta Knight awoke. He felt detached from his body and he could barely turn his head to see that Sailor Dee was picking himself up from the snow. Then the Waddle Dee looked straight into the knight's eyes and ran forward. "Sir! You're okay!" Sailor Dee exclaimed, running forward. The Dee hugged the puffball then flinched back as he felt how cold the puff really was.

"Sailor, why are you here? You should be in the Halberd," Meta Knight mumbled. He had quit shivering long ago, but now it had started up again.

"Have your cape back. I know you say not to go into your room, but my blanket's just a bit small for you," Sailor Dee replied. The knight could barely reach out his hand to take the cloth and in the end, Dee had to put it on for him. The blue puffball was shivering a lot and his skin was pale.

"You're frozen stiff, Sir… Wait there, I'll set up the tent." Sailor threw the insta-tent into a hollow tree and watched it puff up to full size. Then he grabbed Meta Knight's hand and pulled him to his feet. The knight could just put one foot in front of the other, and eventually, they made it inside the tent. He was shivering even harder once they got inside and Sailor Dee wrapped the blue puffball tighter in the cape. Dee looked around. Even though there was no one there, he was nervous; he was about to break one of Meta Knight's most precious rule and he would surely get fired for it, but it was worth it if it meant he could save the knight's life.

* * *

The Dee lifted the mask, ignoring the knight's feeble attempts to stop him. "Sir, please, it's for your own good," Sailor Dee chided as he took the mask off. He was surprised to find a face like Kirby's- cute and childish, complete with the innocent silver eyes and dark pink blush. After staring wide-eyed at Meta Knight's cute face, the Dee took the rest of his armor off and laid it in a pile in a corner of the tent. He left the knight's cape and gloves, and seeing that the puffball wasn't shivering as much, proceeded to pour some of the tea into its cup-like lid and offer it. "As soon as we get back to the Halberd, you're fired," Meta Knight growled playfully, taking the cup and narrowing his eyes. His hands were shaking as he sipped on the hot liquid.

"I know, sir," Sailor Dee replied, ashamed. "Still, it's nice to see you're feeling like yourself again."

"Not exactly. Most of me still feels like ice, but I'll be fine soon enough, so no need to worry." The Waddle Dee's eyes brightened as he fumbled around in his backpack.

"Sandwich? You must be hungry." The Dee pulled out the wrapped sandwiches, stolen straight from Javelin's personal fridge, and gave one to the blue puffball.

"I am, actually." As the knight unwrapped the food and bit into one end, he couldn't help but shake the feeling that his comrade was stalling. "Dee. Why are we staying here so long? Should we not be going back to the Halberd?"

"Well, sir, I didn't want to bother you with the news, but it seems like there's a blizzard brewing. I didn't want to take the chances of us getting lost in the snow and making your cough worse than it already is."

"Then we should be getting back right away! There'll be time for such petty matters after we get back." Meta Knight struggled to his feet and tried to head outside before Sailor Dee grabbed his arm.

"Sir, you can't go! The blizzard's already started," Dee said, quieting to let the sound of the harsh winds through. "And you don't have your armor on!" The knight positioned his mask on his face with an audible growl and morphed his cape into wings. But it soon became clear that the blue puffball wasn't going anywhere; the dark blue appendages wouldn't flap or move, and they just hung limply with ice crystals embedded in several places. The wings twitched once, then ceased moving. With a sigh, Meta Knight sat down and removed his mask. "Fine, Dee. You have your wish; I'll stay," the blue puffball said, defeated.

"It's fine, Sir. We'll be able to go back before you know it." Sailor Dee laid down next to the knight and began pulling the ice out.

* * *

"It's too nippy outside to keep searching," Javelin shivered. He and Trident had given up and were walking back to the Halberd.

"If only Kirby wasn't in Floralia," Trident answered. "He'd be able to find Lord Meta Knight in minutes." They walked into the hangar and up the ramp to the battleship. The moment they entered the ship, Axe and Mace leapt on them.

"Did you find Sir Meta Knight?" Axe questioned desperately.

"Where's Sailor Dee?" Mace added. Javelin and Trident looked at each other.

"We thought Sailor was with you guys." Trident said. An awkward silence ensued as they stared at each other. Then all four came to the same terrifying conclusion.

"If Sailor Dee's out there-" Mace started.

"In the blizzard-" Axe continued.

"And he's found Meta Knight-" Trident gasped.

"Then maybe they're stuck together out there and they'll both freeze to death!" Javelin finished. The other three looked at him weirdly before commencing to run around and yell in panic. Captain Vul poked his head out of his door, beak bordering on a snarl. "Turn it down a bit!" He roared. "Look, I get that you're worried, but you can try calling Dee's phone. Try that, and if that doesn't work, call Sir Meta Knight's. Honestly, I don't get why you can't think of that!" Javelin pulled out his phone and dialed. When Sailor Dee's phone rang from his room, they gave up and called their lord. All four crowded around the phone, waiting earnestly for an answer.

* * *

Sailor Dee pulled the last piece of ice out of the knight's wings and laid it carefully on the synthetic floor. "All done, Sir," the Dee sighed, pulling out the first aid kit. "It wasn't too bad, was it?"

"No, I'm fine. It stung a bit when you pulled one out, but the pain is mostly gone now," Meta Knight replied, wincing as another stab of pain swept through his body. Sailor brushed the pile of bloody ice aside and began placing bandages where the ice had penetrated the puffball's wings.

"Dee, how long is this blizzard supposed to last? I should like to get back to the Halberd as soon as possible," the knight said.

"It should last for about an hour, maybe two. The weatherman said the whole day, but I don't believe him," Sailor noted with a touch of pride.

"I don't either. After all, it would have to be one strong blizzard." Dee squealed with laughter and released the tension from both of them. As Meta Knight's eyes turned blue, he missed a small vibration coming from inside of his cape-wings.

* * *

"Please leave your message after the beep." Javelin frowned and hung up. He had been trying to contact Meta Knight for a solid half hour, and not even one of his calls had been picked up. It was worrying him, and his mood was catching on to the others. Nearly everyone was pacing and having doubts about their lord's disappearance.

"I just heard some news, lads," Captain Vul grimly announced, coming out of his room. Axe, Mace, and Trident came closer from their workstations on the Halberd and listened intently. "It seems like the blizzard's got twice as much snow than expected, and it'll be going on for at least the whole day. Any hope we'll have of finding them after the blizzard is gone now. The snow will have covered everything."

"But we can't give up on finding Sir Meta Knight! I just can't imagine the Halberd operating without him or Sailor Dee," Mace declared defiantly.

"We've all been loyal to Meta Knight up until now, and you expect us to just turn our backs on him? He's saved all our lives, or have you forgotten?" Trident continued, pointing accusingly at Vul. The vulture could come up with no good response, and he slammed the door to his room shut, muttering about nightly work. Worries clouded the four knights' minds. Their lord had to be alright; he was always that way. Even if the odds weren't in his favor, he always pulled through in one way or another. But one thing was fresh in every mind- the Halberd would never again grace the sky with its presence unless Meta Knight returned.

* * *

Sailor Dee pulled his feet closer to his body. The cold had begun to get him and he had instinctively moved towards Meta Knight for warmth. "Sir, I'm cold," he complained.

"It is a blizzard, Dee. It is natural that it will be cold," the knight rumbled. "But I might have something that could help…" His wings morphed back into a cape and he reached his hand inside it. Suddenly, a fire ability hat appeared on Meta Knight's head.

"You can do abilities, sir? Why haven't you used them before?" Dee asked.

"Just in case you are wondering, I can inhale like Kirby; however, I do not possess the Copy Ability. I can handle abilities, but I cannot obtain them. And I prefer to stick with Galaxia since it offers more power than an ability ever can," the Star Warrior answered. "I just happen to like collecting Copy Ability hats. Kirby gives me his when he doesn't need it anymore."

The knight established a connection to the hat before pulling it off, discarding his ability, and placing it on the floor. The fire in the hat blazed brightly as the blue puffball continued to feed it energy.

"Is that any better?" The knight asked warmly. Sailor Dee hummed happily in response and pulled part of Meta Knight's cape over himself as he stretched out on the floor next to the fire.

"Sir? It won't burn the tent, right?" the Waddle Dee murmured, half asleep.

"It'll be fine, Dee, and if it gets out of control, I'm here," the blue puffball said. Meta Knight found himself absently stroking Sailor's head, the warmth of the fire going throughout the tent. He smiled tiredly before letting himself fall asleep on top of the Dee.

* * *

Vul yawned and rubbed his eyes. He was up almost 24/7- taking care of the Halberd in the day and running around in the forest at night. The traps he set had to be perfectly placed, perfectly made, and well thought-out. Then there was the trouble of actually setting it… It was taking too much of his time and energy to do this, and all for one pathetic reason. But he had to do it. Once the deed was completed, he would have full control and no one else. The power would naturally all flow to him as captain, and he had the weapons at his disposal to finally take over Dreamland. "Think it over, Vul," he told himself. "What next?" An idea formed in his head, one that was so devious and so cunning no one had thought of it. His beak formed into a sly grin and he mulled things over in his mind. All he had to do was exploit their weaknesses.

* * *

Sailor Dee woke to a strange weight on top of him. He looked up, annoyed and slightly squished, to find Meta Knight sleeping on his back. The Dee didn't want to bother him since the puffball was sleeping so peacefully, but he didn't want to be stuck under there forever! The fire was also in front of his face; though it was dim and smoldering, he could still feel its heat. "Sir? Would you mind getting off me?" Sailor Dee asked quietly. The knight slowly opened his milky silver eyes and was startled.

"Ah, I'm sorry, Dee! I didn't mean to fall asleep on top of you," Meta Knight exclaimed. He scrambled to his feet and tripped over his cape in haste as he backed into the other side of the tent.

"You were tired, sir, I get it. It's fine." Despite his being squished, Sailor actually found the situation amusing, especially since he could see the horrified expression on the puffball's face.

"If you're sure… But I've been thinking. We have no more food, and if we're going to make it back to the Halberd, we'll need our energy. So I thought we might give hunting a try," the blue puffball explained, his face blushing with embarrassment..

"Hunting, sir? Hunting what?"

"Whatever we can find. Fish might work as well, now that you mention it."

"But there's nothing out there to hunt. Everything is going to be in their burrows or something. And what if you get in trouble? You'll be stuck out there and I won't know!"

"Watch the fire, then. I have a connection to my ability and I can cut it whenever I want. If the fire suddenly goes out, go outside and look for me. But don't go too far; I don't want you getting lost as well."

"What about the fire afterward, sir? Will it stay out or can you relight it?"

"I believe it will relight if I touch it again. Abilities like fire are not very hard to comprehend."

"Okay… at least leave the armor. It'll help." Meta Knight took his mask and set it down with a sigh before taking his sword and putting it into its sheath. Then he threw his cape to Sailor Dee, and before the Dee could protest, flew out of the tent.

* * *

Shadows filled the forest where snow did not. Every possible place was either black or white, and it reminded Meta Knight of the movies he liked watching; some of his favorites were from way back in Dreamland's history. He had been flying through the forest looking for anything worth hunting, his sword gripped in his right hand. His injured wings put up some discomfort, but that couldn't stop him from flying anywhere. The puffball only stopped flying next to a pond that was miraculously unfrozen to catch his breath. He eyed the pond carefully. There could be fish in that pond… but he didn't want to risk it. Making a mental note to not fall in, he started walking around it. Then he heard a quiet _thwip_ \- the sound an arrow made when it had been released from its waiting position in the bow. The knight was instantly alert, looking around for anyone who could've possibly made the sound. Then he felt a searing pain in his left shoulder and he jumped backward in a battle stance. Before he knew it, the rush of frigid water came to meet him, sending Meta Knight into a state of panic. He swam upwards, coughing out water, and stabbed randomly into the water with his sword, hoping to catch something before his muscles froze entirely. After a few stabs, he sheathed the sword and focused more on his survival. The puffball could already feel his range of motion limiting as he paddled closer to the edge and gripped a tendril of a root. His shoulder was on fire despite the arctic water surrounding it, but soon he couldn't feel anything at all. He shivered, his teeth chattering; with these conditions, he wouldn't last very long in the pond. So with hopes that Sailor Dee hadn't gone anywhere, he cut the connection.

* * *

Vul climbed back up the ramp into the Halberd and shook the snow off him, making sure the concealed bow was still in place. It was bitterly cold out there… he wouldn't last long. He should tell the others- but then again, maybe he shouldn't. What he does is kept to him and him alone. But he wasn't given a choice when Trident walked up to him. "Where have you been, Vul?" His tone was almost accusatory as if hoping to catch the vulture red-handed.

"I've been outside, searching just as you have. I figured that I wasn't doing my fair share of the searching, so I did mine right now," Vul grinned. "I'm just as concerned for our lord, even if I don't seem to show it."

"Alright. Have you found anything much?"

"I saw some footprints. Vague, but they look a bit like Meta Knight's. Or maybe Dee's, since the two have the same foot shape." The vulture didn't dare mention what he had really done out in the forest; it would send the crew into too much of a panic and they would cast him out. That couldn't happen if he was going to rule Dreamland someday.

* * *

Sailor Dee looked up when he felt a burst of cold air. The fire had gone out, and that meant Meta Knight was in trouble! He wrapped the knight's cape around himself as the puffball would often do and scurried outside. The snow stung his face, but he didn't hesitate to look around. "Sir! Where are you?" Dee yelled as loud as he could. He was sure that the blizzard would carry his voice away, but he soon heard a faint reply.

"Sailor… here… behind…" The Dee whirled around and saw the pond near the edge of the forest and the struggling puffball within. He ran over, the cape trailing after him, and stopped at the edge of the pond.

"Sir! Can you move?"

"If I c-c-could, d-don't you think I would be out of here by now?"

"You have a point… can you at least try to reach my hand?" Sailor Dee held out his hand close to the root where Meta Knight was holding on.

"I c-c-can't move… at all…" The Dee frowned (or at least, he would've if he had a mouth) and leaned forward to take the puffball's hand from the root. He could barely reach it.

"Almost… got it…" Dee's hand brushed the knight's, but instead of pulling him out, the puffball slipped from the root into the water.

* * *

Meta Knight was holding his breath, desperately hoping that Sailor could pull him out of the water. Bubbles made their way to the surface and the knight found himself unable to paddle up. Meanwhile, Dee was trying to pluck a branch from a nearby tree; once it cracked off, he plunged it into the water. The puffball grasped the branch as tight as he could, which wasn't very tight considering his inability to move, and Dee pulled it out only to find that it was empty. Acting more in haste now, Sailor plunged the branch back into the water and as soon as he felt that the knight had a solid grip, he pulled.

With a great heave, Sailor Dee heaved the knight out of the water and wrapped the cape around the shivering puffball, who sneezed and drew his cape closer. The Dee stared at how cute the noise was, then went back to work at the puffball's unamused glare.

"How did you get the wound on your shoulder, sir?" Sailor asked, pulling out the arrow.

"S-s-someone shot at me… I d-d-don't know who…" Meta Knight said, shivering and sneezing one more time. The Dee felt around inside the cape and grabbed the knight's shaking hand. Together, they started slowly walking back to the tent, Sailor doing his best to keep his hat from getting blown away. They had gone no farther than a few steps when the Dee was knocked forward into the snow, making him lose contact with the puffball. He stood up and looked back; the space behind him was empty.

* * *

They couldn't still be alive. And if they were, he could deal with it. Kirby was gone, Meta Knight frozen, and Dedede soon to be dead. Dreamland would be his in a few days. Vul began to plan what came next. The snow Krackos would have to be paid with water for causing so much snow, and he just didn't know how to transport so much water to them in so little time. Maybe he could think of something later… Then there was the king, who was also high on his priority list. There couldn't be two leaders of Dreamland, after all. There was so much to do… It would be a long wait, but in the end, it would all be worth it.

* * *

Sailor found Meta Knight in a matter of minutes. The puffball was shivering so hard it was actually keeping the snow off him, and Dee didn't know if that was good or bad. In the end, Sailor Dee decided to drag Meta Knight back to the tent, hoping the snow would pull some of the moisture off of the knight's body. Carefully, Dee opened the door of the tent and pulled the puffball inside. He dried the body and slowly acclimated the knight to the higher temperatures; first, the cape, then the blanket and sleeping bag. Dee pulled the arrow out of the puff's shoulder and waited for him to wake up, noting with satisfaction the knight's lessened shivering.

"Sir? Are you awake?" Dee shook the knight gently. The puffball groaned and turned over. After a while, he turned back.

"Dee? We are… in the tent?" Meta Knight's voice was rough and he coughed quite a lot, much to Sailor Dee's dismay.

"Yes, sir. Did you manage to catch anything?" Dee began absentmindedly treating the puff's arrow wound.

"I'm not sure…" The puffball paused his sentence to sniff and sink deeper into the sleeping bag. "I don't believe I did, after stabbing so crazily into the water." The knight pulled out his sword, and to their surprise, some fish were impaled on its spikes.

"Sir, you're amazing! You did catch something!" Sailor Dee plucked the fish off the sword and stared at Meta Knight expectantly. The knight looked back and, understanding what the Dee wanted, waved his hand over the fire. The flames burst into life, the energy of its warrior flowing through once more.

"What did you want the fire for, Dee? Are you cold?"

"No, sir. I wanted to cook something for you."

* * *

Vul growled as he drew his head away from the binoculars. They had actually made it back alive; impossible! How was he supposed to become ruler of Dreamland if there was so much opposition? This was _not_ acceptable! They were certainly planning a rebellion in that tent, and it had to be put out as soon as possible. He had a last-resort plan, but there was a reason it was the last resort… He never thought about using this one; he just assumed his earlier traps and the conditions he had caused would take care of it and he could take over Dreamland without much thought. But he had to use it. This had to end.


	2. Chapter 2

**Part 2 is here! Writer's block is kind of upon me, but I'll still try to write every day if I can. I'm not too sure with some of the wording in here, so if you could help me out, it'd be great. Thanks!**

 **Pusheen reads (guest): Thank you! I'm glad you like the suspense in this story!**

* * *

Dee rubbed his stomach contently. The meal had done its job, and though it brought back painful memories of his deceased family, he was happy all the same- even more so because he was with Meta Knight. The puffball was asleep in the sleeping bag, having eaten a few minutes earlier; Sailor had forced him to rest because the Dee had thought that even if the knight claimed he wasn't ill, he certainly acted like he was. "And besides," he thought, "who wouldn't need rest after almost drowning?" Sailor Dee settled on the far end of the tent, watching the fire throw flickering shadows on the walls. He noted how it was growing darker outside, the snow falling off the tree above them with a _whump_. Dee hoped there wouldn't be too much snow after the blizzard stopped… otherwise, they wouldn't be able to get out of the tent. For some reason, the sound of the snow falling made him thirsty and while he wanted to wake Meta Knight up and ask for the tea in his sleeping bag, Dee decided not to. The knight deserved his sleep, after all. How ironic it would have been if Sailor had woken him up… He at least decided to change the bandages on the puffball's shoulder; Dee noted that it seemed to be healing well. After that, with a groan, Sailor Dee stood up and opened the door of the tent. A wall of fresh snow greeted him and he scraped some into his hands. He couldn't eat it like this, but he was so _thirsty_ and he didn't want to spend the time to melt it… Dee scooped the snow into his nonexistent mouth and instantly regretted doing so.

"More, more! We won't trap them unless there's more!" Vul commanded. He was glad that Kracko snow was often soundproof; Sailor Dee and Meta Knight wouldn't be able to hear him from inside. If they were even inside. More snow and wind whipped around him as the huge fans turned back on, having finished their maintenance. He grinned as the Krackos dumped more snow into the cleft of the hollow tree, blocking their exit route. "Vul? Vul, where are you?" A voice cried. The vulture, startled, waved the Krackos away and turned so he was facing the ocean.

"Vul, what have you been doing out here? It's almost 4 in the afternoon! We haven't cleaned the Halberd, or tested its cannons, or taken it on a flight yet even though this accursed blizzard is still going on…" Mace listed off the things they hadn't done yet with the battleship and Vul could have smacked himself. The Halberd was the key to ensuring his rise to power in Dreamland, and he had neglected it in favor of trapping the blue puffball and his orange helper.

"Alright, fine, let's go," the bird growled, starting back towards the warship. Mace stayed there for a while, wondering and watching as Vul trod back.

"Was it just me, or did he sound angrier than usual? Ah, it's probably just me. Vul's angry every day."

* * *

The ice stung his mouth and sent chills through his body, barely alleviating his thirst. Sailor Dee pushed himself into Meta Knight's side and tried to absorb as much heat as possible, even taking a stray corner of the puffball's cape to drag over himself. Dee whimpered and snuggled closer, his hand instinctively reaching inside the sleeping bag for the flask of tea. He grabbed the container, flinching when it brushed the knight's body, then relaxed when it was clear the puff wouldn't wake up. He opened the container and took a few sips of what was left, enjoying the internal heat and relaxing as the thirst faded. Then as he began to close his eyes, Dee checked his watch and saw that Meta Knight had been asleep for over two hours. "I must've dozed off without realizing it," Sailor thought aloud. "Sir? I'm sure you've slept enough already." The knight didn't make any sound or motion to react, but Dee could've sworn his foot twitched…

"Sir? Are you awake? I want to sleep now, and I need you to keep guard." Still nothing.

"Oh no," Sailor thought, "he can't be!" He just couldn't bring himself to accept it. The puffball couldn't have… could he?

Aloud, Dee exclaimed, "Sir! Please, sir, wake up! Think of the Halberd, your crew, Kirby! How will they feel if we get out of here and I tell them? Sir Meta Knight, please wake up…" Tears formed beneath his eyes and he furiously wiped them away, not wanting any of it to splash onto the knight. The puffball opened his eyes quizzically, almost teasingly. A flash of pink flew through his eyes as he sat up.

"I heard you the first time, Dee. What do you want?"

* * *

Vul had told the crew he was heading in for a nap. It was so true… Sleep sounded like the best thing he could have right now, and he needed the energy to devise his strategy. He'd have to figure out something to do after he took over Dreamland, but it'd have to be reasonable… After that, then he could turn the Dreamlanders into an army, _his_ elite fighting force. His army would take over every land on Popstar; the planet would be his! Then he'd make Popstar a planet to be reckoned with; they had been off the map for far too long. It would take a while, but he could and would make the universe his.

* * *

"Sir! You're alright, and I'm real glad about that," Sailor Dee sighed. He brushed away the last of his tears and faced the blue puffball.

"Why would I not be?" Meta Knight replied. He was clearly interested now, though it was probably for all the wrong reasons.

"I thought you were dead, sir. You weren't moving or saying… anything…" Dee's voice cracked and he began silently crying again, hands wiping fresh tears from his eyes. The knight hesitated for a while before bringing the Dee into a caring embrace. Sailor Dee closed his eyes and hugged the blue puffball back as hard as he could.

"Shh, Dee, it's fine," Meta Knight whispered, stroking Sailor's back.

"I'm sorry, sir," the Dee sniffed. "At this point, I just don't know what I'd do without you." At this, the knight cracked a rare smile.

"Vul is a terrible leader, isn't he? He's even worse than Dedede."

"You're right, sir, he is! Imagine if he tried to lead Dreamland!" The puffball started laughing, and despite his sadness, Sailor Dee joined in too. Little did they know their jokes were real.

* * *

Kirby flew home on his Warp Star. He had been more than happy to leave the kissing and mushy stuff between Dedede and Sectonia. The king had given him an early leave to "protect their planet"; of course, Kirby knew that he really wanted to court the flower queen. The pink puffball had missed Popstar- the food, the friends, the Halberd… He had almost forgotten. Meta Knight! The knight's great battleship was surely the first place he'd go; he had missed the masked puffball. Kirby hadn't stopped thinking about the knight ever since he had cried over the blue puff's inability to go. "If only he didn't have to fix the Halberd after the last crash," Kirby thought. "Then he would've gone with us." He urged his star faster; he couldn't wait to catch up.

Kirby landed outside of the Halberd's hangar and jumped onto the soft snow on the ground after inhaling his Warp Star. He sifted through his bag of gifts in the starlight and pulled out some Floralian chocolate. The pink puffball had gotten it (or rather, stolen it) specifically for Meta Knight, knowing how much the other puff loved the creamy brown sweet. Besides, he knew the blue puffball had never tried royal chocolate, much less Floralian. It was late and Kirby knew he should've been going home, but he just wanted to see the knight first. It had been two weeks, and they'd certainly have something to talk about. The pink puffball scampered up the ramp of the battleship and was immediately swarmed by the knight's crew. "Kirby! You've got to find Lord Meta Knight!" Trident exclaimed.

"Help some friends out!" Mace added. The pink puffball froze. His best friend missing? He couldn't stand by and watch! Kirby spat out his Warp Star and hopped on, stuffing the chocolate back into his pack. The puffball flew out of the Halberd, flying over the countryside. He had to find Meta Knight. He just had to.

* * *

"Sir, it's almost 9 at night," Sailor Dee murmured.

"We've got to get out of here, Dee. We can't stay in here forever," Meta Knight replied determinedly. He unzipped the door of the tent, put on all his armor, and rammed into the snow with his uninjured arm. The snow barely moved, seeing as it was basically a block of ice, but the puffball was not deterred. He slammed into the snow again and again, causing red beads of blood to form on his arm. "Sir, stop, you're bleeding!" Dee exclaimed.

"There will be time for that _after_ we get out," the knight replied.

"But sir-"

"Listen, Dee. Escape is staring at us in the face. I cannot and will not let it stay that way. We have more than enough first aid back at the Halberd, and I most certainly do not need it now." Meta Knight sighed as he calmed down, his fiery red eyes reverting back to yellow. "I'm sorry, Sailor. I didn't mean to yell at you or lose my temper. Being in here is driving me crazy."

"It's alright, sir. I know you're used to flying when you're upset, and now that you can't, you're on edge. I don't mind."

"I suppose… You can treat my arm if you wish." Happy to finally be doing something, Sailor Dee started wrapping some bandages around it and tied the gauze up tightly. The blue puffball switched arms, ramming with his left now. Dee joined in, pushing and kicking at the solid block of ice. He knew they'd never get anywhere, but he hoped someone was outside.

* * *

Kirby had begun to walk now, having swallowed his star earlier. At the speeds at which his Warp Star had been going, he'd never spot any sign of the missing puffball. He passed his small fishing pond, which hadn't frozen yet, and stopped when he saw something move. It was… the snow? But snow couldn't move, with the exception of his snowman friend Chilly. The pink puffball realized that someone could be trapped back there; it could even be Meta Knight! Kirby started inhaling parts of the snow pile and spitting it out to the side. The shaking got stronger and stronger as the pink puffball inhaled more and more snow, and as he inhaled the last bit, that was when the knight decided to charge with everything he had. Kirby inhaled the last bit and the blue puffball tumbled out, stopping a few feet away. "Sir!" Sailor Dee rushed out and helped Meta Knight to his feet. The pink puffball did the only thing he could think of- he hugged them.

* * *

Vul stretched and yawned. Sleep in Dreamland truly was amazing; it could give you any dream you wanted, thanks to the Fountain of Dreams. And now, ruling Dreamland was no longer a goal for the future; it was within grasping range and he reached out his feathered limb to grab it like it was an actual thing… "Vul? We've got Kirby on the move to find Sir Meta Knight," Mace announced from the other side of the door. The bird almost hit his head on the wall. The pink pest wasn't supposed to come home that early! After all, Dedede wasn't coming back until tomorrow! Surely the king wouldn't let Kirby out of his sight.

"That's wonderful," he choked out, almost growling. "Have you received any word from him yet?"

"No, not yet. Hopefully, they're found soon." Mace's voice retreated from the closed door and Vul could've screamed. It had been an unexpected turn of events and the nuisance would have to be eliminated, but he knew he'd triumph. He always did.

* * *

Sailor Dee had packed up pretty quickly. The tent was packed up, he had given the fire ability hat back, and everything else was in his backpack. He had insisted that Meta Knight stay with Kirby, and so far, the pink puffball was loving the decision. He climbed all over the knight, squealing and holding on to various places of his cape. Once he dropped onto the ground, the pink puff went through his bag again and presented the chocolate to the blue puffball. "I… you really didn't have to, Kirby…" Dee could tell that Meta Knight was clearly blushing underneath the mask and Kirby took pride in the knight's blue eyes.

"Poyo, fow you, Meta!"

"Thank you, Kirby…" The blue puffball unwrapped the candy and stuck his hand beneath his mask. When it came out again, it was empty save for the wrapper. "Sir? You didn't eat the whole thing already, did you?" Sailor Dee asked.

"Mmph… no…" he mumbled. His delighted tone and shining blue eyes said otherwise. Kirby climbed on top of Meta Knight as he swallowed the chocolate and began walking away.

"Come on then, Dee. We're going home."

* * *

There was nothing else he could do. He had already paid the snow Krackos and they had already left for Shiver Star. He couldn't do anything else now, except for sulking alone in his room. Kirby was… surprisingly persistent and Vul was sure that the pink pest had already found Meta Knight. There was no option now but to accept his failure; he couldn't do that. He just couldn't let that dream he'd had for so long die right in front of him. Not if he could help it. "Get real, Vul," he growled. "There's no way you can stop them." He shook his head and clenched his feathered fist. Hard. He couldn't let this happen. He had figured out how to get 4500 gallons of water to the Krackos; he'd figure out what he'd do here. Now that he thought about it, the problem wasn't so hard. Maybe a knife, something to make it look like a simple robbery… No one would know about this new plan. Especially not the crew. And especially not Meta Knight.

* * *

The snow was higher than Dee was. Meta Knight stood a few inches taller and Kirby was sitting on top of the blue puffball. The knight often used his wings to jump through the snow, forcing Sailor to leap into the holes the blue puff left behind, tiring him and making him colder. Suddenly, warm arms scooped him up and wrapped him tight in a dark blue fabric. "Sir, you don't have to carry me," Sailor Dee said sleepily.

"You're tired and cold. Besides, Kirby is not that heavy," Meta Knight replied, flapping up into a patch of shallower snow.

"But you're hurt." At this point, the pink puffball noticed the bandages on the other puffball in horror.

"It's not that far to the Halberd, I'll be fine." Dee settled into the cape, a fuzzy thought forming in his muddled mind.

"Hey, Kirby, why don't we just use your Warp Star?" Sailor asked. The pink puffball lit up and spat out his star, before leaping on it and dragging the knight and the Waddle Dee on it. The star swirled around before zooming towards the battleship's hangar. Sailor Dee grinned as the Warp Star began flying; they would be home very soon.

* * *

He was here. Kirby had actually found Meta Knight and he was coming here right now. Vul growled and slammed his fist on his wooden table. With every move that pink pest made, his dream of leading Dreamland was getting farther and farther away. He was running out of time, but there was a chance that he could get two- no, three- birds with one stone. The vulture grabbed his coat, which still had the hidden bow inside, and rushed out of his room. "Where are you going, Vul?" Javelin asked.

"It's Kirby, he's here," Vul replied, rushing outside. The crew immediately began murmuring excitedly as they rushed about, preparing the Halberd for their arrival. It was extremely late, almost 11, but not even the late night could deter them from seeing their lord. They'd probably be asleep until late morning tomorrow, but no one really cared. Even then, they wanted to make sure that Meta Knight was proud of them. While the crew was occupied with their preparations, Vul snuck out the door and into the shadows of the night.

* * *

The Warp Star was relatively quick; even so, it would not be very hard to shoot at it. Vul had experience as an archer and he had learned even more from watching Kirby use his Archer ability. He crouched behind a large bush near the edge of the path and readied his bow, the tip of the arrow just sticking out past the leaves. Soon, he could hear the trail of stars it left behind. Peering through a gap in the bush, the vulture could see it coming closer and closer. It had reached the proximity point. Without a second thought, Vul released the arrow.

* * *

Something slammed hard into the side of the Warp Star, shaking Sailor Dee off with an audible yelp. "Dee!" Meta Knight yelled. "Kirby, turn back. We have to get him!"

"Poyo!" Kirby replied. He swung the star around and closed in on Dee's position. Another thing hit the side of the star, this time inches from the pink puff's foot. It was then that the knight could see that they were arrows; he knew only one person who had a bow on the Halberd- Vul. His eyes glowed red with anger, then white with surprise as he was thrown off the Warp Star.

"Meta!" Kirby shouted. He swooped past Sailor Dee, picking him up, and turned back towards the knight. As soon as the blue puff was back on the Warp Star, however, another one of Vul's arrows hit the Warp Star and hurled both Kirby and Sailor Dee off. Meta Knight soon found himself in control of the Warp Star and he struggled to steer it where he wanted to go; if there was one thing he couldn't do, it was driving a Warp Star. He was quickly losing his grip on the edge of it as he managed to turn it back towards his friends. The wind threatened to shake him off, all amongst the threat of arrow rain. As the star sped by, Kirby leaped up and snagged the corner of his precious star right before the knight released his grip on it. The pink puffball flew back to the other two and picked them up before a flurry of arrows raced towards them. Kirby rose in the air higher than the arrows could reach and soared towards the Halberd before any more arrows could come their way.

* * *

That was it. The cat was surely out of the bag now; Vul had caught Meta Knight looking his way with crimson eyes. Perhaps there was a way he could deny it… no, it was impossible. Considering the knight knew where Mace hid his collection of teddy bears (the vulture had seen the hiding place and man, was it good), he would know that he was the one who had attacked them. He would never become the leader of Dreamland now, but if he didn't slip up, maybe Meta Knight wouldn't care. Or he could always do it behind the knight's back. He had always been good at that, using break hours and sleeping hours to work on personal projects. His bow was one of them. This was the biggest task he had ever worked on, but if he could carve a bow, he could rise to power.

* * *

The Halberd's hangar loomed in the darkness. Sailor Dee was glad to see it after being gone for so long. Yes, it had only been a day, but he had missed the crew and his room. When the Warp Star deposited the three right outside the battleship's door, a cry came from inside and the crew swarmed Meta Knight.

"Sir, you're back!" Mace exclaimed.

"We're so glad you're alright!" Trident added. Soon enough, the blue puffball was immobile from his crew's overjoyed hugs. Even Javelin joined in, though he mainly hovered around the knight's head. The crew hoisted Meta Knight up with a cheer and carried him inside the Halberd, Kirby and Sailor Dee following. As soon as he was put down, the knight approached Dee.

"Call for a meeting in my room in the morning," the blue puffball murmured, yawning. "I don't feel too well right now…"

"Go on, sir. I'll inform everyone shortly," Dee reassured. The Star Warrior disappeared down the hall before Dee heard the harsh clang of metal on metal. He looked down the hall and almost laughed when he saw Meta Knight asleep on the floor.

"He really was tired," Dee chuckled. "Ah, sir, some things never change." Sailor dragged the knight into his bed and made sure the puffball was comfortable before retiring to his own.

* * *

The next morning, Meta Knight woke up on his bed feeling extremely hot even though he wasn't under a blanket and his throat hurt so much… He highly doubted he could run the meeting in this state. His door gently opened and the knight turned to see who it was.

"Sir, I've already informed everyone about the meeting and they'll all be coming shortly," Sailor Dee noted. "I even got Vul to postpone his schedule!"

"Dee… I don't think I can run the meeting today…" he rasped. Each word felt like a thorn in his throat and Meta Knight winced every time he spoke.

"Sir! Are you alright? As much as the crew and Vul would hate it, I'm sure we can call off the meeting."

"No, not really… You don't have to call off the meeting, I'm sure we can figure something out."

"Sir, I think the less you talk, the better it would be. Why don't you write a script that I can read on your behalf to the crew?" Dee grabbed a clipboard, a pen, and a stack of lined paper off of the knight's desk.

"Use this to write what you want to say to the crew and I'll read it out to them. I'm sure they'll understand."

"Thank you, Dee…" Sailor stood near the foot of the bed as Meta Knight draped a blanket over himself and began writing. There were footsteps and the rest of the crew filed in. Dee felt a paper brush his foot and he picked it up. He brightened as he read it over; the knight wrote extremely quick.

"Dee? What are you doing here? Where's Sir Meta Knight?" Mace asked in confusion.

"Due to Sir Meta Knight's… inability to speak at this meeting, I'm standing in for him and speaking on his behalf. These are his words," Sailor Dee answered, showing Mace the script. "From now until the end of the meeting, these are Lord Meta Knight's words, not mine.

"I wish to thank you all for coming to this meeting. I commend you all both for your search efforts and the fact that you were able to maintain daily schedule without my assistance. The Halberd is now better than I've ever seen it.

"I want you all to continue what you have been doing without me. Chances are that I will be ill for some time, so I most likely will be sleeping… a lot. Thus, I do not want to have to constantly remind you to perform certain actions. Vul, this goes for you especially. None of your shenanigans will be tolerated. That is all."

* * *

Vul found it difficult to breathe. He was aware of his beak opening and closing with no voice coming out, but couldn't do anything about it. He trembled; he had been caught. The blue puff knew of his plans! How foolish he was to think that he wouldn't be discovered! "Why the helpless look, Vul?" Dee chuckled. Vul growled in frustration as he turned a scathing glare towards the Dee, who squeaked and hid behind the lump of blanket. The vulture wanted to grab the orange blob and strangle him, though it went against all rules to do so. It would also give him and his intentions away. Clenching his fists, he realized with horror that the entire crew was staring at him- even Meta Knight had peeked his head out of the blankets to watch him. "So he was under the blankets," the vulture thought. Vul felt words threatening to spill out and he clamped his beak shut. Suddenly, their stares began to oppress him that much more. They were boring right through his very being, drilling through his soul. The vulture couldn't stop his beak from opening and yelling, "I admit it! I tried to kill Sir Meta Knight!"


	3. Chapter 3

Vul had fled the room immediately after. Axe and Mace had chased right after him, their auras enraged and flaring with red. It was strange how much the crew cared about him when Meta Knight thought about it; never in his wildest dreams had he thought any of them would chase a traitor down for him, especially when that traitor was one of his own crew. "I can't believe that stupid bird," Trident cursed, closing the door. "He was acting like he actually _cared_! And after I told him that we were all loyal to you, Sir Meta Knight! Apparently that statement didn't apply to him!" The knight scribbled some words on the paper and showed it to Sailor Dee to read out.

"Sir Meta Knight reminds you to keep a cool head, Trident. What's done is done and can't be reversed. Though he does suggest telling the king since he's coming back tomorrow," Sailor Dee reprimanded.

"You're right… About the king, though, who should go? Everyone's first choice after Sir Meta Knight would be Vul, but we can't trust that turkey anymore. How about you go, Dee?"

"Me? But why? That is, I'm perfectly fine staying here and taking care of him."

"You lived through this, Dee. You'd be the best person to share your experiences. And you're used to dealing with people much higher than you as a Waddle Dee. Service is what you live for!"

"You have a point… but the king?! I'm only used to dealing with Sir Meta Knight, and he has a much higher status than me… The king would be about ten times that."

"I'm perfectly capable of… going myself, you know…" Meta Knight coughed. "I've dealt with the king a lot…"

"Please don't, sir! We'd rather you stay here and recover," Javelin quickly said, hovering closer. "What Vul put you through is no light matter."

"Shocking, at least… but I knew something was up… He didn't have that bow a few months ago…"

"Sir, please just resort to writing," Sailor Dee sighed. "It's not going to help your voice or your condition." The knight rolled his eyes before picking up the clipboard again and sinking deeper into the blanket.

* * *

His breath billowed around him as he wove round trees in the sparkling snow. Vul had no idea if Axe and Mace were still following him, but he still wanted to get as far away from the Halberd as he could. The crew had _not_ taken the news well. Curse his stupid beak… He didn't hear any footsteps behind him, so he slowed his pace to a walk as he quickly searched for some kind of shelter or refuge. Soon enough, he found himself back at Orange Ocean's cliff, the place where it had all started. How had a silly prank escalated so drastically and quickly? He hadn't even been thinking about world domination then! Yet here he was, being hunted down like the animal he was, condemned forever for attempted puffball murder (puffslaughter? Was there even a term for it?). Either way, the lust of power had called and he had answered. The dream and promise of leadership, _real_ leadership where no one was higher than he was, was no longer his. It was no longer a goal for the future. It was gone. "Oh, but you're a captain, Vul," he cried, mocking Axe and Sailor Dee. "You lead us every day! Well, I barely do anything and the ship isn't even mine! So shut up!" His voice was almost a growl at the end, then tapered off when he finally spotted a hiding place. It was a tree cleft, and when he crawled inside, he found that it was the same one that had protected Meta Knight and Sailor Dee. He thought it ironic to hide there, but there was nowhere else in sight and he was not taking the risk of capture. Sure, the news might not have gotten out yet, but he'd rather be safe than sorry. Vul huddled in the snow and shadows, aware that he was not perching like a proper bird should, but instead sitting. "Some bird I am," he thought bitterly. "Can't even perch right. What made me think I could control Popstar?"

.

"We lost him," Axe growled. "Filthy bird that he is. Mace, we should've gone after him!"

"I was tired! Would you rather I collapse in the snow while you go off chasing Vul all on your own?" Mace retorted. "That dumb bird is dangerous and don't you know it!"

Meta Knight wrote some more things on the paper and Sailor Dee finally came out from behind him- partly because he wanted to see what the knight was writing and partly because Vul was gone. Once the blue puffball was done, Dee read the paper over and almost laughed at what he read.

"Sir Meta Knight says to please not refer to Vul like that though he does agree that he is a- oh, Nova- turkey at times. He was simply being disloyal, not… everything else you said," Sailor Dee said. "You really agree about Vul being a turkey, sir?" The knight shrugged nonchalantly and the crew burst into laughter.

"All jokes aside though, sir, he's the one that caused you to become ill like this," Javelin reminded.

"If he's sick, shouldn't he take his mask off?" Axe questioned. Meta Knight's eyes widened and he jumped out from under the blankets. Drawing Galaxia, he fell into an attack stance, eyes glowing bright red, and readied his sword to strike at anyone within distance (Sailor Dee excluded). The crew took one step back from the bed and even Dee jumped off.

"Uh, sir? Are you alright?" Mace nervously asked. "If you wish, we could just hurry up and take it off. We'd have everyone close their eyes and Dee could do it…" He stopped talking as the knight turned his fierce glare towards him.

"Make no mistake… I _will_ fight you for this…" the blue puffball rasped. "Should you not… back down… I will be forced to attack…"

"No need to be so violent, sir," Trient reassured, "though if you want us to leave, we will." When Meta Knight gave no response, he quickly ushered everyone out of the room and shut the door.

.

A crowd was waiting when Dedede's starship landed in the castle gardens. They cheered as the king walked down and became louder when he took Sectonia's hand, leading the queen down the ramp himself. Waving to his subjects, the king was just disappearing down a hallway with her when a Waddle Dee came up to him, apparently in great panic.

"Great King, I just received a message from the Halberd crew," the Dee said. "It seems that one of the Meta-Knights wants to speak with you in private."

"Can't you see I'm busy?" Dedede hissed, causing him to startle and back into a column.

"It's nothing, dear," Sectonia whispered. "Just go meet with them and have this charming Dee lead me to my room instead."

"You're sure, my queen bee? Nothing comes before you."

"Perfectly fine. You know where my room is for the time being, don't you, little one?" She pet the Dee on the top of its head and he squealed, pulling her down the hallways in his excitement. Sectonia turned around and blew a kiss at Dedede before turning into another part of the castle.

"I wonder what they want," the king said aloud. "Yo, Waddle Dee! Go to the Halberd and give 'em this for me!"

.

It had been an hour since the meeting had unofficially ended. Meta Knight still hadn't come out of his room, though to his crew, it was perfectly understandable. He was so sick in Dee's opinion that he didn't care how long the knight stayed in his room, as long as someone made sure he didn't die inside there. They had already agreed to send Axe with the news of Vul's betrayal and he had already left for the castle. There was nothing left to do now except wait. In the midst of their silence, there as a knock outside the Halberd and Dee scurried to the door.

"Hey, Sailor," a Waddle Dee chirped. "Got something for you- or rather, Meta Knight. Dedede ordered me to give it to someone in the Halberd crew."

"Thanks, my friend," Sailor replied, patting his head and taking the box. The other Waddle Dee scampered down the ramp of the Halberd and back into the fresh air outside. He took the box to the knight's room and gently knocked the door.

"Sir?" Dee called, opening the door. "A package came for yo- Oh." Meta Knight was asleep, splayed out on his bed with his mask and sword off to the side.

"Whoops, didn't know it was naptime," Sailor giggled. "Guess he was really tired. Might as well leave this here and hope he finds it later…" But just in case, he wrote a small note on the side of the box in marker and placed it where the knight could easily see it. It was only after Dee had left the room that he began to wonder what was inside.

.

For once, Meta Knight's crew didn't have anything boring to report. Dedede had listened to the entire story without once nodding off or pretending he was listening when he wasn't. The story of how someone tried to kill one of your best friends didn't leave much room for not listening. But he had met Vul before; the albatross seemed nice enough back then. "So you say he attempted to push Meta Knight off power and failed?" the king asked.

"I'm glad he failed, but yes, that's what he attempted," Axe said. "Though do remember, your Majesty, that he tried to not only take power but also tried to take lives as well."

"I see. Well, no one tries to kill my friend and gets away with it! I'll issue a search warrant for him right away and I'll let you know if I've got him." Dedede motioned to the door and Axe left the room. The king looked around before hopping into his tank and driving into the city center.

"Listen up, my loyal subjects! There's a criminal on the loose and I'm putting up a reward for him," King Dedede announced. "If ya'll remember the Halberd's captain, that's him. Vul's his name."

.

So this is how it felt. The stinging lash of the bitter cold penetrated everything, and with how damp the sticks were, he doubted he could light a fire. Not that he would want to, anyway. The smoke could attract people. Vul had tried making the cleft warmer. He had scraped out all of the snow inside and used it to partially block the entrance, leaving only a little hole to make sure he didn't suffocate inside. Even then, the wind managed to get inside and chill his famished body. How long had he been hiding here? A day? A week? Or had it only been a few hours? He was so hungry… Vul scooped a handful of snow into his beak to try and put down the relentless thirst he had; it only made him colder. He heard footsteps around him and he dropped to the frozen ground, hoping to catch some glimpse of who it could be. Looking closer, he could see a group of many Dreamlanders and Waddle Dees, all holding torches and some armed. Some held cages not unlike the one Taranza had used to capture Dedede. Hopefully, they weren't looking for him, and maybe they had food. One looked in his direction and Vul ducked behind the wall of snow. The footsteps grew louder and quicker with some yells mixed into the clamor. He backed into the far part of the tree afraid for his life. "Surrender peacefully, Vul," a voice commanded. So they knew. But he couldn't just stay here and do it. He broke out of the cleft and charged directly into the mob, hoping to get to the other side of the forest before they could catch him. Two grabbed his arms and he couldn't shake them off, leaving no choice but to drag them along with him. The added weight slowed him down, however, and before long, he was trapped in a glowing net. There left no chance of escape. Dreamland would never be his.

* * *

 _Days later…_

"Poyo poy?" Kirby knocked on the door to the Halberd, shifting the box on his head over. Sailor Dee opened the door and let the pink puff bounce inside. Kirby came every day; he held Meta Knight in the highest esteem and believed it was his duty as the knight's student to make sure he was alright. The pink puffball could easily stay the entire day at the Halberd, joining the crew for meals and sometimes even helping with daily chores. Every day, he brought something new for the other puff, whether it was food, books, or even board games. Kirby burst into Meta Knight's room, presenting the box to him. The knight took the box without hesitation and set it aside for later; from the weight of it, it was probably a game of some sorts. The pink puffball clambered over the other, bigger box that Dee had left there before and used it to jump onto the blue puff's bed. "What in box?" Kirby asked, pointing at it.

"It's from Dedede," the Star Warrior replied. "Probably paperwork." The pink puffball beamed at him; under his gentle care, his mentor was surely recovering.

"Dedede's caught Vul!" The two puffballs heard Mace exclaim. The others cheered, probably for the fact that the albatross would finally get what he deserved.

"Sir! Have you heard the news?" Sailor Dee rushed into the room, evident joy on his face. "Vul's done for! Oh, and Dedede invited you to his trial. He said it was your 'duty' to attend." Not waiting for the knight's answer, he bounded out of the room, rejoining the crew in their festivities. Meta Knight sighed. The work of a knight of Dreamland was never done.


End file.
